The White Hart Lane club are reportedly leading the chase for Serie A star Fredy Guarin, who is also being tracked by Italian giants Juventus.

Tottenham Hotspur could be closing in on a deal for Inter Milan midfielder Fredy Guarin, with reports in the Italian media suggesting the Lilywhites are leading the race for the Colombian.

The 28-year-old, who is valued at £12 million, featured for Colombia at the World Cup in Brazil and has largely impressed during his time with the Nerazzurri.

Chelsea were previously thought to be keen on recruiting the midfielder back in January but with Cesc Fabregas moving to Stamford Bridge this summer, it looks unlikely that Jose Mourinho will be pursuing a deal for the South American.

That could clear the way for Tottenham to complete a deal for the player, with Juventus Spurs’ main rivals in the pursuit of Guarin.

The Colombian previously came close to moving to Turin last season, only for fan protests to prompt a change of heart by the Italian club.

As such, it’s likely that any Tottenham bid will be favoured by Inter – allowing the club to cash-in on one of their most sought after players while also avoiding the sale of a major star to one of their Serie A rivals.

Any Guarin move to north London would be a major blow to Juve, who had identified Guarin as the ideal replacement for Arturo Vidal, who continues to be linked with a switch to Manchester United.

And while it could yet take a substantial contract offer to lure the South American star to White Hart Lane, the acquisition of the Colombian would be a major step forward for new Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino following a summer of frustration in the transfer market.

The club had previously been linked with a bid for Memphis Depay, only to see the Dutchman’s club PSV Eindhoven rebuff their advances.

Fredy Guarin previously impressed during a four-year stay with Porto, during which he won three Primera Liga titles and three Taca de Portugal trophies.

He also made global football headlines after scoring a sensational goal in a 4-1 win over Maritimo.

Jack Beresford

Jack is a 27-year-old writer with experience in writing about sport in a range of guises. He’s something of a statto when it comes to soccer and has a passion for English football at all levels, as well as Serie A and the Bundesliga.